AI Data Centers Run Into the Water Ledger — May 18, 2026

Water is becoming the next hard constraint for AI infrastructure: California lacks public usage disclosure, Pennsylvania is moving a campus through water-service hearings, and a Kansas county just paused data center permits. Capacity still expands abroad, but siting fights are getting more physical.

1. Data centers are guzzling California’s water. We have no idea how much. — CalMatters

   Data centers drain California's water with little public oversight 1. Join the conversation on California's future, May 21. Join us at the CalMatters Ideas Festival on May 21. 💡 Get your tickets now. An irrigation ditch runs between farm land, on the right, and a proposed 950,000-square-foot data center, on the left, in Imperial County on March 11, 2026. Photo by Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times…

2. PA Environment Digest Blog: PUC Sets July 7 Hearings On Greater Hazleton CAN DO Request To Supply 30,000 Gallons Of Water/Day To A Proposed A.I. Data Center Campus In The Humboldt Industrial Park, Luzerne County — PA Environment Digest

   PA Environment Digest Blog: PUC Sets July 7 Hearings On Greater Hazleton CAN DO Request To Supply 30,000 Gallons Of Water/Day To A Proposed A.I. Data Center Campus In The Humboldt Industrial Park, Luzerne County On April 10, the Public Utility Commission announced that two telephonic public input hearings will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, regarding an application filed by the Greater…

3. Commission declares moratorium on data centers, battery storage operations — Linn County Journal

   Commission declares moratorium on data centers, battery storage operations top of page Search Linn County Commissioner Alison Hamilton said that she approved implementing a 12-month moratorium on taking applications for data centers and battery storage operations. (Journal file photo) By Roger Sims, Journal staff MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commission has issued a temporary 12-month…

4. Digital Realty Breaks Ground on 66MW Paris Data Center — B2Bdaily.com

   Digital Realty Breaks Ground on 66MW Paris Data Center | B2Bdaily.com # Digital Realty Breaks Ground on 66MW Paris Data Center Article Highlights Off On The digital landscape of Europe is undergoing a massive transformation as the demand for high-performance computing and cloud storage continues to outpace existing supply. Digital Realty recently initiated construction on its PAR15 facility in…

5. Australia's NEXTDC launches $720M data center in Malaysia - TNGlobal — TechNode Global

   Australia's NEXTDC launches $720M data center in Malaysia - TNGlobal ## Australia's NEXTDC launches $720M data center in Malaysia May 15, 2026• Asia, Big Data, Malaysia, News• NEXTDC Limited, an Australia-based digital infrastructure provider, has on Thursday announced the official launch of KL1 Kuala Lumpur, its first international data center with $720 million, establishing a strategic…

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